You can certainly animate in Houdini (I have seen it) but its toolset is not geared towards it and IMHO although I am going to give it a good go (I am right now rigging and processing mocap in houdini) the truth is that I have already identified many issues we XSI artists would not be happy with.
For this reason I look at rigging and animation on the Modo side or Softimage side while SideFX a do their homework. As we speak I am preparing a massive report with videos on what they should add and let's see.. so far they have been exceptionally good at embracing suggestions (like the old softimage team… remember?) so I am going to put my energy there. Jordi Bares jordiba...@gmail.com On 27 Feb 2014, at 12:33, Greg Punchatz <g...@janimation.com> wrote: > Jordi, As far as character and creature animation, how and what are you using > for that? I have never seen anything move at a decent clip while watching > Houdini demos.... and have heard nothing but nightmares from people try to do > character work in it. > > Does it have the user friendly tools for rigging like soft? Or are you using > Modo for character work? Its rigging seems more than strange to me. > > > On Thu, Feb 27, 2014 at 6:21 AM, Simon Reeves <si...@simonreeves.com> wrote: > Interesting conversation for sure, I might finally have a good look into > workflows in houdini. > > Also this is the preview to the last email.. I wondered if it was going to be > solution to a lack of freelancers...<temp.png> > > > > Simon Reeves > London, UK > si...@simonreeves.com > www.simonreeves.com > www.analogstudio.co.uk > > > On 27 February 2014 12:07, Jordi Bares <jordiba...@gmail.com> wrote: > Training an animator to use Houdini to animate is trivial > Training a lighter to use Houdini is trivial > Training a modeller to use Modo is pretty easy > Training a modeller to texture in Modo is pretty easy > > What I want to say is that if you dive in the correct areas it is easy and in > a week or two you have any of these positions up and running. The only secret > is to have an expert at hand that can easy the pain and guide the team. > > Obviously a different thing is to get a Houdini FX guy, but we have plenty of > these ;-) > > On the flip side, the less freelancer competition, the more you can charge… > > ;-) > > Jordi Bares > jordiba...@gmail.com > > On 27 Feb 2014, at 09:59, Cristobal Infante <cgc...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> What about freelancers though? >> >> Surely you will want access to healthy freelance pool of people. So good >> luck finding a "Modo lighter" or a "Houdini Rigger". My guess is Maya is a >> more sensible option only for that looking from a production/managment >> perspective. >> >> >> On 27 February 2014 09:43, Jordi Bares <jordiba...@gmail.com> wrote: >> would you give more money to Autodesk after what they are doing to pretty >> much *every package* ? >> >> Let's recap >> >> Image Modeller = dead >> Stitcher = dead >> Matchmover = dead >> Combustion = dead >> Toxik = dead >> Naiad = dead until further notice >> Softimage = still developed but tiny tiny increments >> Motion builder = still developed but tiny tiny increments >> Motion builder for mac = stopped development >> FBX converter for mac = stopped development >> Mudbox = still developed but tiny tiny increments >> >> The only good news is that Flame v2014 has been a major effort on their side >> and gave me the confidence to give Autodesk one more year, lots of people >> angry with the changes but at least there was some vision although my fear >> is that they will enter now a marketing stage to help boost sales and engage >> again and push sales after the debacle of their change in the library which >> made pretty much every flame artist angry. >> >> >> Now, what are the alternatives? >> >> Well, I leant something last year when Apple decision regarding Final Cut >> Pro (I am sure nobody needs reminding)… and what I learnt is that Apple's >> core market is not pro software, its market is hardware, specially mobile >> hardware (laptops, phones, tablets…) >> >> If you apply the same thinking with Autodesk everything becomes clear… >> Autodesk core market is not entertainment, it's architecture and engineering >> and they don't really give a $@^$£% about us as the list above demonstrates >> clearly. >> >> The new version of Softimage, Mudbox and Motion Builder will tell exactly >> where they stand for third year in a row so eyes open… >> >> in the meantime I chose to focus on those companies that pro software is >> their core business and have market share to gain, and these are the ones >> >> SideEffects (via Houdini) >> Foundry (via Modo) >> MassiveSoftware (via Massive) >> >> So my approach is simple, force myself to transition in an abrupt way >> (nothing better than full inversion) and help these companies to polish >> their software as much as possible by being in the beta process, report all >> bugs, new ideas, pass them information of which things work from other >> packages… Exactly what I did with XSI. >> >> And one more thing, after diving in Houdini I consider it *impossible* for >> any software manufacturer to put the necessary resources to compete with >> them (I will repeat it… IMPOSSIBLE), the architecture is so advanced and so >> well designed it is a marvel of software engineering (and expensive to build >> of course)… this is here to stay my friends. >> >> and its getting easier by the day. >> >> Jordi Bares >> jordiba...@gmail.com >> >> >> >> On 27 Feb 2014, at 08:42, Nicolas Esposito <3dv...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> Quick question regadring the switch to another software: >>> I saw that quite few people are considering Modo or Houdini as an >>> alternative to Softimage. This is due to the fact that you want to >>> completely leave Autodesk for good, or because an alternative like Maya >>> wont suite your needs? >>> I'm asking because I'm not familiar nor with Maya or Modo, so I was just >>> wondering what is the main reason >>> >>> >>> 2014-02-27 9:21 GMT+01:00 Sebastien Sterling <sebastien.sterl...@gmail.com>: >>> It's a system that seems to favour massive company's that can afford to >>> routinely upgrade their packages, and screws the individual user for any >>> sort of brand fidelity they may attempt to maintain; if you know you are >>> going to get a discount (where it even 10%) on your next upgrade as a token >>> to your brand loyalty, you would feel incentivised to perches upgrades, its >>> marketing 101 no different then a loyalty card at your supermarket. >>> >>> The only reason for doing this is to intentionally loose a demographic. In >>> the short term maybe this will allow AD to save money, freelancers are >>> "infrequent in their purchases". They actually require a stable and >>> competent package out of the box, something big companies usually pays >>> their own Devs and TDs to sort out. Unlike big companies they also have the >>> gall to voice their contempt of an inferior service. >>> >>> So yea this kinda makes sense for them in the short term to stabilise their >>> key demographic, to the detriment of others probably makes the share >>> holders smile as well. of course this also kills any form of growth within >>> the potential market, but only time will tell what kind of impact that >>> could have. >>> >>> >>> On 27 February 2014 08:16, Angus Davidson <angus.david...@wits.ac.za> wrote: >>> On Modo I am really impressed with it. Some tools are not 100% where I want >>> them yet but overall finding it very powerful. Mesh fusion is awesome and >>> saving my pennies to buy myself a copy of it. Stuff like rigging is handled >>> differently so it takes a bit to wrap your head around it. >>> >>> I really love things like being able to edit an animation curve in the >>> viewport or create a custom UI that allows me to key specific things on >>> each frame for the selected controller. Their curve editor just feels more >>> responsive to me. >>> >>> You can see these on the new learn modo videos the posted recently. >>> >>> That being said its not as polished as softimage yet but you also have to >>> bear in mind that things like decent particles and animation have only been >>> around a few years in Modo. If Softimage does go EOL it where I am headed >>> for my personal stuff. Whether we go that way for our students depends on a >>> few more things. >>> >>> >>> From: Daniel Sweeney [dan...@northforge.co.uk] >>> Sent: 26 February 2014 11:19 PM >>> >>> To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com >>> Subject: Re: new upgrade policy >>> >>> I am as quick as I can off the autodesk rollercoaster. A few things have >>> made my choice I will always love soft and use the tool when its needed but >>> I think I need to look for another avenue. Looking at modo? Thoughts?? >>> >>> Autodesk bollocks. >>> >>> On Feb 26, 2014 8:52 PM, "Kris Rivel" <krisri...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> I read it and couldn't help but say WTH?! >>> >>> Kris >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Feb 26, 2014 at 3:36 PM, Emilio Hernandez <emi...@e-roja.com> wrote: >>> Seems they need to fill the vault... >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> 2014-02-26 14:29 GMT-06:00 Kris Rivel <krisri...@gmail.com>: >>> >>> So...what's everyone's take on this gem? So if I don't upgrade to latest >>> version now...then when I want that version I have to pay full price? >>> >>> http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Frequently-Asked-Questions-about-the-Autodesk-Upgrade-Policy.html >>> >>> Kris >>> >>> >>> This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is confidential. >>> If you have received this communication in error, please notify us >>> immediately and destroy the original message. You may not copy or >>> disseminate this communication without the permission of the University. >>> Only authorised signatories are competent to enter into agreements on >>> behalf of the University and recipients are thus advised that the content >>> of this message may not be legally binding on the University and may >>> contain the personal views and opinions of the author, which are not >>> necessarily the views and opinions of The University of the Witwatersrand, >>> Johannesburg. All agreements between the University and outsiders are >>> subject to South African Law unless the University agrees in writing to the >>> contrary. >>> >>> >> >> > > >
